Cybersecurity has a branding problem.

For most small businesses, it feels expensive, technical, overwhelming and unlikely to happen to them, it’s far too easy to put off until “later”. The problem is that later is often after something has already gone wrong.

And right now, the risk is rising.

According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Cyber Threat Report 2025, more than half of New Zealand businesses have experienced a cyber threat, with scams, phishing and fraud continuing to be the most common ways criminals get in.

Yet many of the businesses most affected are the ones who least feel “ready” for cybersecurity.

That’s exactly why we built Sydekick Lite.

Cyber risk isn’t just a tech problem (it’s a business one)

Most cyber incidents don’t start with sophisticated hacking.

They start with:

• A convincing email

• A fake invoice

• A compromised account

• Someone being rushed, tired, or tricked

The NCSC continues to highlight social engineering, scams and fraud as dominant threat patterns, especially for smaller organisations without dedicated security teams.

But here’s the catch:

Most cybersecurity tools still start with technical controls, frameworks, and jargon.

Small businesses don’t need that as their first step. They need something that makes sense in the context of their business.

Meet Sydekick Lite: A calm, practical place to start

‍

‍

Sydekick Lite is designed for micro businesses, small teams, and companies just starting their digital resilience journey. Instead of asking you to understand cybersecurity, Lite starts by asking one simple question:

What are you actually trying to protect?

We call these your Crown Jewels — things like:

• Your income

• Your customers’ trust

• Your data

• Your reputation

Once those are clear, Sydekick Lite focuses on the risks that are most likely to affect you, not everything that could happen in theory.

That includes:

• Scams and fraud

• Account compromise

• Privacy breaches

• Gaps in everyday cyber hygiene

Using AI, Lite turns this into a clear, prioritised action plan, all written in plain language, and designed to fit into day-to-day business life.

Small steps. Visible wins. Real progress.

One of the biggest reasons businesses avoid cybersecurity is that it feels like a big, expensive leap. We don’t believe that’s how resilience is built.

“Most businesses don’t need another scary cyber report, they need a calm, achievable place to start,” says Kendra Ross, CEO of Sydekick. ‍

“With Sydekick Lite, we focus on small, sensible steps that businesses can take straight away and just as importantly, steps where they can quickly see value. When people feel progress early, they’re far more likely to keep going.”

Lite is designed to help you:

• Do something now

• See value quickly

• Build confidence step by step

That’s how habits form — and how resilience sticks.

Designed to be used (not just read)

A plan that looks good but never gets used isn’t helping anyone. That’s why usability has been front and centre in how Sydekick Lite was built. Our CTO, Phil Howie, brings a strong design and user-experience lens to the platform. Phil was employee number one at Pushpay, where intuitive design helped take a complex product to a global audience.

“If something feels confusing or overwhelming, people won’t use it,” says Phil.

“Lite is designed to meet people where they are and guide them forward, step by step — without making cyber resilience feel like hard work.”

Why Lite focuses so much on scams, fraud and privacy

The NCSC’s 2025 reporting reinforces something we see every day:
for smaller businesses, people-focused attacks cause the most harm.

That’s why Sydekick Lite places strong emphasis on:

• Scam and fraud awareness

• Safer everyday behaviours

• Practical privacy basics

• Clear guidance for common scenarios

Cyber resilience isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being harder to trick than you were yesterday.

A Sidekick, not a scolding

Sydekick Lite isn’t about telling businesses what they should have done.

It’s about:

• Giving people a trusted guide

• Making risk understandable

• Helping them take the next right step

That’s why Lite is designed to be delivered through trusted partners, people already in your corner, and why it’s the first step in a broader journey as your business grows. Because cyber resilience shouldn’t feel like a punishment for being small.

It should feel like someone’s got your back.

Ready to start?

If you’re a business just beginning your digital resilience journey, or a partner supporting businesses that are, then Sydekick Lite is designed to help you start strong, without the fear, jargon or overwhelm.

Small steps. Real progress. A sidekick by your side.

‍